SEOUL – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pledged to strengthen cooperation with North Korea, according to a message sent to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as reported by North Korea’s foreign ministry on its website on Friday.
“I affirm that I will work to further expand cooperation with the DPRK to make it full of new content, and common programmes of giving mutual benefits to the improved well-being of the peoples of our countries,” Lukashenko’s message stated. DPRK stands for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea.
This statement was in response to North Korea’s congratulations on Belarus’ National Day. The exchange highlights the strengthening of ties between the two nations, both of which have close relations with Russia.
Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Vladimirovich Ruzenkov visited North Korea this week, meeting with senior government officials including Premier Kim Tok Hun and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, as reported by North Korean state media.
At a reception in Pyongyang’s Koryo Hotel, Choe emphasized the importance of “comprehensively boosting relations” between Belarus and North Korea. The move comes as Russia faces increasing diplomatic isolation on the global stage following its military actions in Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022. This strengthening of Belarus-North Korea relations is viewed as part of a broader effort to solidify alliances among nations aligned with Russia.